Without a Sound

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Chapter 15

We were playing football in P.E.

And when I say we, I really mean that I'm involved. I was so happy that Coach Yuffie believed in me.

As I was tying my shoe I could feel the odd stares I was getting.

'Why is he wearing a jersey? Yuffie can't possibly be thinking of letting him play, he can't hear!' I looked up to see a mouth form.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and I turned to see Seifer standing next to me.

'Don't worry about them Chicken Wuss. They don't know shit.' Seifer's mouth said.

'Chicken Wuss?' I mouthed and signed.

'Yeah. That's your nickname. It used to be Zell's but I think he'd kill me if I started to call him that again.' Seifer laughed.

I smiled. I didn't really care that is was embarrassing… I felt like I was being accepted in some way.

'Alright! To the football field!' I watched Yuffie make big gestures.

The students made a line (a clump really) and walked to the gyms back doors. I was left the building I caught a glimpse of the spot between a dumpster and the building wall…

The place where I had tried to…

I was really sitting there at one point in time, trying to die…

There was a hand on my shoulder again.

I jumped.

'What are you staring at… it's just a dumpster, Chicken Wuss.' Seifer said.

I nodded and we made it to the football field.

'We're playing TWO HAND TOUCH! NOT TACKLE! If you tackle someone, I will make you sit out. We all know the rules so pick teams.' Coach Yuffie instructed.

I wasn't picked last… well that was probably because Seifer was a team captain but I was happy.

When the teams were divided, the games begun.

It was kind of funny how everyone seemed to think I was incapable of catching a ball or running… nobody was blocking me. How many touchdowns did it take?

Seifer threw the ball to me (for the third time) and I caught it. I turned and began to run.

Two kids ran towards me, but I fainted one direction and got away. Someone ran at me from the side but I managed to jump out of the way of his hands at the last second. I turned to see a girl running close behind me so I sped up. When I turned back I bumped into someone.

A big someone.

My bottom lip ended hitting his collar bone on impact. I felt to the ground with a thump.

'Watch where you're going, stupid.' The big guy said.

I frowned when I tasted blood. I put a hand to my lip and it was busted open. I could feel it swelling.

I spat the blood out in the grass and stood. I watched Seifer ran towards me.

'Are you okay?' he asked.

I nodded and handed him the ball.

'Dude, that looks really bad…' I watched him say.

I nodded and walked over to Yuffie who immediately starts to babble in alarm at a very high speed.

I held up a hand and took the clipboard and pen from her hands.

I just need to wipe the blood off… it's really fine. I bumped into someone because I wasn't paying attention. But I scored two touchdowns!

Coach Yuffie smiled and ruffled my hair. 'Go clean yourself up.'

I nodded before handing her the clipboard and walking back inside.

I walked into the bathroom and I grabbed a paper towel and wet it. My lip had stopped bleeding, it just needed to be cleaned.

I wiped the blood away and looked at the damage.

I was amazed at how such a small cut could bleed that much. I giggled at my reflection…

I looked ridiculous with a swollen bottom lip. I fluttered my eyelashes and puckered my lips at the reflection.

Kiss me Leon! Kiss me!

It was only when I actually focused my eyes on what was in the mirror that I jumped in surprise.

I blushed brightly as Seifer's shoulders shook with laughter. 'DUDE! What are you DOING!' he asked though his laughs.

I covered my face with my hands and walked into a corner. After a second I turned around.

'You know, Yuffie asked me to check on you… but I think you're okay. You are so gay… just so you know.' Seifer's lips articulated.

I blushed again and we walked out of the bathroom together.

-Without a Sound-

The rest of the day proved to be uneventful, but that was okay because basketball practice was more fun anyway.

Shooting wasn't much of a problem. Now, it was ball handling and passing that tripped me up.

I was asked to simply stay in a corner of the room and dribble the ball in and out of my legs…

It was probably one of the hardest things I had to do. I swear I like… clipped my balls like twenty times in ten minutes.

But after a while of measuring my strength and the angle of the path through my legs, I managed to get a hang of it.

That was until I had to keep the ball from Zell, Hillside's greatest ball handler. Due to his smaller size, he has agility and an edge that allows him to maneuver quickly through the opposite team's defense.

I dribbled the ball once… ONCE! And he just snatched it away like it was nothing.

He smiled at me. 'Ball handling is something that will take a while to master. This is because there are so many different scenarios that could happen in a game. But keep trying. You need to be faster… keep the ball lower to the ground. And don't be afraid to defend the ball with your body.'

I nodded. I geared to start up again but Zell called for someone.

A large, bald kid came over. The weird thing was the fact that he had a goatee…

'Sora… I don't think you've actually met Rude before. He's another regular. Point guard actually…'

I gave him my hand for a shake and he took it.

He had huge hands.

So Rude and Zell acted as the opposite team and tried to take the ball from me. It took me to the end of class to defend the ball for ten minutes.

'That was really great progress. Keep it up!' Zell signed.

I nodded and thanked Rude with a small bow.

We all walked into the locker room and I moved to my duffle bag.

Seifer walks over to me and pats me on the shoulder.

'This fool here, after scoring two touchdowns, goes and gets his lip busted by Xaldin. He just walks it off like an idiot and goes to the bathroom.' I read as he talked to the rest of the starter team.

'So I go to the bathroom to check on him out of the kindness in heart and what do I see? This fucker's makin' kissy faces at his own reflection. He looked like a frikkin' retard… and that is how I learned that he was gay.' Seifer said and gave me a smile as he and the team laughed.

I gave him an alarmed look. Don't just announce it!

'Dude it's okay. The only straight person on the starter team is dating a girl who, if she didn't have breast, you'd think she was a guy! No offense to you or Fujin, Rai.' Zell added.

I relaxed. I guess it was okay then.

'In fact, next week is me and Seifer's one year anniversary!' Zell smiled.

I looked to Seifer with a puzzled look.

'It's true. I'm dating Zell. I don't like PDA… Rude is dating Reno, the red head with the pony tail, and Tseng, our team captain who is currently out of town, is dating Rufus Shinra… I really don't know what he see in Rufus… he's an asshole.' Seifer's mouth formed.

I shrugged.

'So Chicken Wuss, what about you? Got a boyfriend?' Seifer wiggled his eye brow and nudged me.

I blushed brightly.

'Ah! That gave it away! Who's the lucky guy!' Zell's mouth babbled.

I shook my head. No one…

'We all know that's a lie!' Seifer nudged me again.

I sighed before signing. 'He treats me like a normal person… but he's not one for sharing his feelings so I had some trouble with him at first. But after talking it out… he's really tried his best to be more open. He can be really sweet sometimes… so I want to try my hardest not to be a burden. I know I can be a handful… but can make changes if it means feeling like I do when he's around… I really like him…' I blushed again before returning to putting on my clothes.

'Even though I had no I idea what he just said… that was so-' Seifer started.

'Cute.' Rude finished.

'What did he say, Zell?' Raijin's lips formed.

'He said that his boyfriend treats him normally and though they sometimes have problems, he's really sweet. And that he really likes him.' Zell said.

I bit my lip in embarrassment only to flinch at the pain of my swollen lip.

'Goof!' Seifer said and ruffled my hair.

I smiled before packing my stuff and leaving.

I walked up the stairs to Leon's classroom. Today, he was simply waiting for me, all other students gone.

I put my bag on one of the desks and smile at him.

He frowned at me.

I gave him a questioning look.

'Who did that to your face?' Leon asked slowly.

My eyes lit suddenly with understanding. I whipped out my notebook.

Nooo no no no no! My lip was an accident! Yuffie let me play football! Can you believe it! I ran into someone and busted my lip.

He gave me a look, as if he wasn't convinced.

You can ask someone else if you don't believe me. And I'm completely fine, It didn't even really hurt all that much when I bumped into the guy anyway. I wrote.

Leon stood and put a hand to my face, his thumb grazing slightly over the cut.

I shivered.

'You should be more careful.' I watched him say.

I smiled under his thumb before giving it a lick.

Leon retracted his hand with a surprised look and wiped it on his shirt.

I wrote:

I found out that four out of the five people on the starter team are gay. And Seifer figured out that I was gay as well… it was an interesting discovery.

'Wow.'

I smiled.

You know… when your boyfriend get's an injury… you're supposed to kiss it better.

Leon leaned forward and gave my bottom lip a small kiss. I looked up at him with surprise.

I didn't expect him to actually do it.

'Don't look at me like that. I'm leaving my comfort zone to accommodate you…' Leon mumbled so I could barely read it.

I smiled.

Thank you. I'm really happy. It means a lot that you would do that for me.

Leon ruffled my hair. 'Let's get going.'

I tapped his shoulder and wrote:

Can I come to your house?

'No.'

I grabbed his arm. Please?

'No. The answer is no.'

I stomped my foot. Why not?

'It's inappropriate.' I read.

I raised a brow. How is going to my boyfriend's house inappropriate?

'Regardless of the fact that I am your boyfriend, I'm still your teacher. And what about your parents? If you came with me they wouldn't assume you were at a friend's house. They'd think you were stolen by some rapist! It just doesn't work.'

I pouted and wrote in my notebook.

I walked over and handed him the notebook before hugging him, my face in his chest.

But I want to spend time with you.

I could feel his voice in his chest so I looked up.

'… right now.'

I gave him a puzzled look.

'Sora. I'm sorry. Maybe someday, but not right now.'

I frowned.

What if I texted Roxas and told him to tell Mom that I am sleeping at a friend's house?

'I'm not going to have you lie to your parents.'

But technically, I'm not lying! You're my boyfriend! Please! Please… I want to be around you, all the time. I know that's not really normal… but I can't help it. Please!

I pouted a little.

'Sora… why do you make it so hard for me to say no? I'll only allow this if you're brother consents.'

I smiled broadly and jumped up and down. Thank you! Thank you!

I whipped out my phone from my bag and texted Roxas:

Staying at Leon's. Tell mom I'm sleeping at a friend's house.

I pressed send and three minutes later I got a reply:

Did Leon want this? Did Leon say this was okay?

I typed back:

He said he'd only allow it if you consented. So tell mom for me please!

He replied:

Ok. You so owe me BIG!

I typed:

YES! YES! Thank you!

I walked to Leon and wrote:

He said I could stay. Let's go!

Leon sighed before leaving the room.